A San Luis Obispo gym owner facing five misdemeanor and felony charges pleaded not guilty Wednesday in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.
Cole Corrigan, 35, has been the subject of a hidden camera investigation after a client reportedly found a hidden camera in the changing room of his 24-hour, women-only gym CCC Fitness at the end of August.
The Sept. 13 arrest took place after a search warrant was served at a home on the 2000 block of Bayview Avenue in Morro Bay and while it was not directly related to the hidden camera, it was part of that investigation, according to San Luis Obispo police.
The search turned up a ghost gun and drugs, according to police, who add that because Corrigan has a prior felony drug-related conviction, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The charges filed Sept. 21 in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court include possession of a firearm, specifically a ghost gun, by a felon; possession of ammunition, which the complaint lists as 60 rounds; possession of an undetectable firearm, specified again as a ghost gun; possession of a controlled substance, listed as testosterone; and the use of instrumentality to view an area of privacy, which is a misdemeanor.
The criminal complaint alleges Cole, who is currently out of custody, according to jail logs, “did willfully and unlawfully, look through a hole and opening, into, and otherwise view by means of any instrumentality, including but not limited to a periscope, telescope, binoculars, camera, motion picture camera, camcorder and mobile phone, the interior of a bedroom, bathroom, changing room, fitting room, dressing room and tanning booth and the interior of any other area in which the occupant has a reasonable expectation of privacy, with the intent to invade the privacy of a person and persons inside.”
The complaint also states the alleged crimes occurred on or around Sept. 13, which is the date the search warrant was served in Morro Bay but three weeks after the hidden camera was reportedly found.
Police last week said they were still doing analysis and searches for various devices related to the hidden camera investigation. On Wednesday they confirmed the full investigation into the hidden camera has not yet been submitted to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office for review of potential charges.
In 2007, Corrigan was also arrested on a charge of felony resisting arrest after authorities said he was found walking naked around Los Osos early in the morning. He reportedly became combative with deputies when they tried to take him into custody.
He is due back in court Oct. 17.
